Sailing Terms

Sailing Terms Glossary

Educate and learn about sailing using our glossary of sailing and maritime terminology. Whether you sail a dinghy, a pram, or a yacht; this dictionary lists the commonly used vocabulary of sailors on recreational, cruising and racing sailboats. General nautical terms that lend themselves to both power boats and sailboats are included. Additionally, in this glossary, you may find a few funny and fun nautical terms and phrases, and a bit of slang too.

Click on a letter below to jump to the terms starting with that letter.

Eddy: A current of water moving against the main flow. Often causes small whirlpools.

Elapsed time: Generally refers to the amount of time that has passed since the start of a sailing race.

Electrolysis: A small amount of electric current that passes between dissimilar materials. Causes corrosion on the spars and rigging of many sailing vessels where dissimilar materials are in constant contact.

Emergency tiller: A backup steering device used in the event of primary steering failure.

End for end: The act of reversing and re-splicing a halyard, sheet, or other running rigging in order to repair, or extend its useful lifespan.

Ensign: Nautical flag used to display a vessel’s country of origin.

EPIRB: (1)A distress beacon, triggered by a vessel in need of rescue. (2) Known in some circles as an “emergency pre-race beer”.

Even keel: Said when a vessel is sitting level to the surface of the water.

Fair: (1) Referring to a smooth curvature of a vessels hull. (2) To make a surface flush.

Fairlead: A device used to keep a line running in the correct direction.

Fall off: To change direction so as to head more downwind.

Fathom: A unit of length used to measure depth, equal to six feet.

Feathering: Sailing a fine directional line between two points of sail, usually close hauled and irons.

Fend off: A command given to the crew to manually prevent the boat with colliding with something, usually at low speed.

Fender: A bumper designed to act as a cushion between a boat and the dock.

Fetch: The length of an area over water where waves are being generated by the wind.

Fid: A splicing tool designed to facilitate the making of various splices in rope or wire.

Fixed propeller: A permanently mounted propeller protruding from the hull of a vessel.

Flemish eye: A type of reeving eye in line, designed to facilitate in the installation of a halyard through a mast.

Foil: Can refer to either (1) The hydrodynamic “wing shape” of a sailing vessel’s keel and rudder, or (2) The thin, pliable, pieces of metal overtop of the forestay onto which a jib or headsail is attached.

Folding propeller: A type of propeller with blades that fold inward in order to reduce drag on a sailboat.

Following sea: Wave action that is traveling in the same direction as a ship.

Foot: The lowest edge of a sail.

Fore: Towards the bow.

Foresail: The forward most sail on a vessel.

Forestay: A line or cable attached from the bow to the mast, in order to provide structural support to the mast.

Fouled: (1)Any entangled lines, rigging, or equipment. (2) An infraction of the rules in a sailing race.